Dear Jamal
You are right. The Kumbh Mela's association with Kumbh rashi is now merely hypothetical. In general our celebrations, with passage of time have got decoupled from actual sky. We still celebrate Makar Samkranti as Winter Solstice. !500 years ago this indeed was the case. But now Winter Solstice has moved into December. Similarly Baisakhi(13/14 April) nominally marks Spring Equinox, although the actual Spring Equinox occurs on about 23 March.
Rajesh Kochhar
-----------------------
[Prof.] Rajesh Kochhar
President IAU Commission 41:History of Astronomy
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali
(Former Director NISTADS, New Delhi)
Correspondence: 3073 Sector 21D, Chandigarh160022
http://rajeshkochhar.com
>________________________________
> From: Jamal <jamaljafri@yahoo.co.uk>
>To: INDOLOGY@yahoogroups.com
>Sent: Wednesday, 5 December 2012 9:09 PM
>Subject: Re: [Y-Indology] Kumbh Mela Prayag
>
>
>
>
>Hello Prof Kochhar!
>
>Doesn't the difference, albeit small, mean that, in time,
>Jupiter's position in the month of Magh (January/February), when the
>Mela is held, would drift out to the next rashi? This appears to be
>validated by the following web site, which gives dates of Jupiter's
>transit through all twelve rashis for the years 1902 to 2099:
>http://www.barbarapijan.com/bpa/Graha/Gochara_Transit/Guru_gochara_trans\
>its_table.htm - 2000_until_2099
><http://www.barbarapijan.com/bpa/Graha/Gochara_Transit/Guru_gochara_tran\
>sits_table.htm#2000_until_2099>
>
>Jupiter was in the rashi of Vrishabha (Taurus) for the 2001 Maha Kumbh
>at Prayag (Allahabad) and will return to the same rashi for the 2013
>Kumbh, as it will, going forward in steps of 12 years, for 2025, 2037
>and 2049 but will move out to the next rashi of Mithuna (Gemini) for
>2061. Similar drift can also be seen going back in steps of 12 years.
>
>Is this information correct?
>
>Am I reading this right, or am I missing something crucial here?
>
>Kind Regards,
>
>Jamal
>
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